Competent authorities

Name of authority

Ministry of Agriculture
Ministry of Health The Croatian Food Agency (HAH) is legal entity which role, organization and modus operandi are regulated by the Food Act (OG 81/13, 14/14, 30/15), the Statute of Croatian Food Agency and other legal acts of Croatian Food Agency. HAH performs scientific and technical tasks in the field of food and feed safety and it is national referent point for risk assessment in food and feed safety area. In performing its duties, HAH is guided by principles of independence, transparency and confidentiality.

Mandate/competence

http://www.mps.hr/ https://zdravlje.gov.hr/ Tasks of the HAH:
• scientific risk assessment in the field of food and feed safety,
• to provide scientific studies in the field of food and feed safety,
• to provide scientific opinions at the request of the competent authorities, ex officio, or at the request of third parties for their needs,
• to provide technical opinions and scientific and technical support to the competent authorities in the areas of food and feed safety, food and feed quality, human nutrition, animal health and welfare, plant health,novel food, nutrient enriched food, food and feed for particular nutritional uses and GM food and feed,
• to provide initial risk assessment (as RASFF contact point in the Republic of Croatia),
• to collect and analyse data from official controls and other relevant data for characterisation and monitoring of risks which have a direct or indirect impact on food and feed safety,
• to identify and characterize risks and emerging risks,
• to establish and coordinate national institution network in the field of food and feed safety in the Republic of Croatia,
• to develop and apply risk assessment methodologies in the field,
• to educate interested parties and publish educative materials about food and feed related risks,
• to inform public about matters within its field of work,
• to express independent conclusions and views on matters within its field of work and to provide rapid, reliable, objective and comprehensible information to the public and interested parties,
• to promote the effective coherence between risk management, risk assessment and risk communication.
HAH cooperates closely with competent institutes, academic society, laboratories and other legal entities in food and feed safety system in the Republic of Croatia. HAH also cooperates with other EU member states and competent international institutions and organizations in the field of food and feed safety.
http://www.hah.hr/

INFOSAN Emergency Contact Point

HAH is also INFOSAN focal point.
HAH is Focal Point for European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). HAH delivers information and data received from EFSA to the competent authorities in the Republic of Croatia and vice versa.
http://www.hah.hr/

Food safety and consumer protection – laws and regulations

In due course lists of legislation related to food safety and consumer protection in each country will be provided. This will be based on FAO's database on Food Legislation (FAOLEX) verified with countries before uploading.

The national Codex programme

National Codex consultative mechanism

The Croatian Standards Institute works closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Health on all matters related to the Codex Alimentarius.
If needed, consultations include the relevant institutions; laboratories, institutes, inspectorates, manufacturers, consumers etc.

Providers of scientific and technical input to national consultation on Codex

Surveillance of foodborne diseases and monitoring of food contamination

National surveillance systems – foodborne disease in humans

National monitoring plans which are under the competences of Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Health.

National monitoring systems – foodborne hazards in the food chain

Monitoring systems prescribed the legislation, as well as the surveys initiated from the Croatian Food Agency as a support to data collection for the purpose of risk assessment and data reporting to EFSA and EC.